Satna (MP): A dispute over land at Babupur village near here on Friday claimed four lives after a tribal got trapped in a fire while three others who had set afire tribals' houses were cut to pieces in retaliation.

The incident occurred at Babupur where nearly 25 huts of tribals were allegedly set afire by ex-BJP corporator Dharmendra Singh Ghoordang, (45) who was externed from Satna district following registration of many criminal cases in different police stations along with his men, police said.

The tribals had erected their huts on a government land and Dharmendra was trying to encroach on it, police said.

In the fire, a tribal identified as Jaganpal who went inside his hut for taking out his belongings got trapped and died of burn injuries.

Enraged over his death, other members of the community allegedly launched an attack on the BJP leader and his men with sharp-edged weapons and not only killed them but in the fit of rage also cut their bodies into several pieces.

Those killed by tribals were identified as Dharmendra, his associate Bittu Singh (40) and Veeru Singh (45), police said.